Magic Reindeer Food

Sprinkle on your lawn at night

The Moon will make it sparkle bright

Santa's Reindeer fly and roam

This will bring them to your home

Recipe:

In a small zipper food storage bag or empty shaker container, mix 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup red or green sugar crystals (sugar crystals are bird and wildlife friendly instead of using craft glitter.)

Orange Extract

half of one large navel orange
1/4 cup, vodka
1/2 cup, water

Peel the half of orange, being careful to scrape off any pith (as above). Dice the orange peel �?you will have about 1 ½ tablespoons.

Combine the peel with the vodka and water, and allow to steep as in the preceding recipes. Store for up to one year in a cool, dark place.

MAKES ABOUT 3/4 CUP

Peach-Ginger Liqueur

4 cups (1 qt.) vodka

4 cups sugar

1 pound (3 cups) dried peaches, chopped

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine vodka and sugar. Stir often over medium heat until mixture reaches 125 [degrees] to 130 [degrees] (hot to touch), about 5 minutes. Watch carefully; if overheated, fumes may ignite.

2. Place peaches and ginger in a widemouth glass jar (at least 2 qt.). Pour in hot vodka mixture. Seal airtight. (If seal is rubber or synthetic rubber, cover glass top with plastic wrap to protect seal; alcohol can soften it.) Let stand at least 1 week or up to 2 months.

3. Line a strainer with 4 layers of damp cheesecloth and set over an 8-cup glass measure or bowl with a pour spout. Pour liqueur and fruit, a portion at a time, through cloth. When fruit is no longer dripping, save for other uses; wrap airtight and refrigerate up to 3 months.

4. Pour liqueur into small bottles; seal airtight (if seals are rubber or synthetic rubber, see step 2). Serve liqueur, or store in a cool, dark place up to I year.

MAKES: About 5 cups liqueur, 4 cups fruit

Pear Brandy

1 firm-ripe pear

3 cups (750 ml.) brandy

Rinse pear, dry, and place in a wide-mouth decorative glass jar (at least 1 qt.). Pour brandy over pear (pear must be covered).

Seal airtight. (If seal is rubber or synthetic rubber, cover glass top with plastic wrap to protect seal from alcohol, which can soften it.)

Store at least I week or up to 1 year at room temperature.

MAKES: 3 cups

Potpourri for Simmering

(For fragrance only)
4 Oranges
4 Tangerines
4 Lemons
24 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks,
-broken into 1-inch pieces
1/4 c Whole cloves
1/4 c Juniper berries
2 ts Ground nutmeg

Remove zests (colored part only) from citrus with vegetable peeler. Place on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in turned-off gas oven overnight, or until dry (the pilot light will dry them zest). If you have an electric oven, warm the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees, then turn off.

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups. To simmer: Use 1/3 cup in a saucepan of water, and cook over low heat.

Preserved Lemons

FOR 1 PINT

3-4 medium-size Meyer, Eureka or Lisbon lemons, or just use the number of lemons you need to fill the jar you have on hand.
kosher salt
fresh lemon juice (optional additions below)
*NOTE: A round-shaped jar may accommodate round lemons better than a tall jar.

THE METHOD
Scrub the lemons well (removing any wax coating), rinse and dry. Cut a thin slice off the stem end (so the lemon will stand without tipping) then, cutting downward from the blossom end, slice the lemon into 4 wedges - stopping about 1/2 to 3/4-inch above the base (stem) end, so that the lemon segments will remain attached. [If desired, you may gently spread the wedges open, and cut each section in half once more, lengthwise - again leaving the slices attached at the base.]

Gently spread the wedges open, like the petals of a flower, and sprinkle the pulp generously with Kosher salt. Press the lemons back into their original lemon shape, and place them in a clean, dry jar. Repeat with more lemons until the jar is almost filled when the fruit is pressed down firmly. Pour in enough fresh lemon juice to cover the lemons by about 1/2 inch. [Note: some cooks cover the salted lemons with water instead of juice, but the flavor is less-intense; some cooks do not add any liquid, but press down on the lemons daily, and allow the natural juices to gradually be released and rise in the jar.]

Cover the jar - but not airtight until fermentation has completed. Place the jar in the refrigerator or in a cool spot in your kitchen. Shake or jiggle the jar every day to dissolve the salt. After about a week, the lemons will plump and it may be necessary to add more fresh juice to keep them covered. After the salt has dissolved (about one week), pour a 1/4-inch layer of olive oil over the lemons and their liquid. This (optional step) will keep out air and prevents the formation of any white film or mold. At this time, if the lemons were not refrigerated before, refrigerate them for safest storage. They’ll keep for months.

Lemons are ready to use when the peel has become translucent, which may happen in only a week or two - but they are best when allowed to ferment at least one month before using.

TIPS: If the flavor or color - or fragrance - changes noticeably over time, discard the lemons and make a new batch.

Expect the liquid in the jar to thicken and smell richly of lemon.

If a white film appears on the lemons, it may be simply rinsed off.

Be sure to keep the lemons submerged in liquid at all times.

Do not put your fingers in the brine; instead, retrieve lemons with a clean instrument.

OPTIONAL: You may add to the lemons during fermentation: cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, whole Turkish (not California) bay leaves.

Preserved Limes

limes
Kosher salt
fresh lime juice
fresh ginger
serrano chiles

THE METHOD:
Cut the limes into quarters from stem end to blossom end - the wedges do not remain attached. Then, cut each wedge cross-wise in half. You have 8 small pieces from each lime.

Cut the fresh ginger and serrano chiles (seeded) into small julienne strips (peel the ginger if the peel is thick - or if you plan to use the ginger in cooking, otherwise, you may leave the peel on).

Roll the lime pieces in Kosher salt to cover generously, and begin to layer the salted pieces in a clean, dry jar. Between each layer, sprinkle generously some julienne strips of ginger and chiles. When the jar is nearly full, add 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh lime juice (or enough to cover the lime pieces). Cover the jar with cheesecloth or other material (not airtight) and allow to ferment and develop flavor for as long as you can resist eating them - at minimum, 2-3 weeks. For the first week or two, until fermentation is complete, the limes may be held at cool room temperature, but cover and refrigerate them for longer storage - they’ll keep for months.

Rumpot

It is usual to begin with the first fruit of the season, strawberries. Wash and dry these thoroughly, remove all the green stems, put them into a dish, cover them with an equal weight of sugar and then allow them to stand for an hour. Place the fruit and sugar mixture into the Rumpot, and cover it to a depth of half an inch with rum or your other chosen spirit or liqueur. Make sure that the spirit is at least 40% ABV, as it is the alcohol that preserves the fruit. White refined granulated sugar is most commonly used, but castor sugar will dissolve more easily.

It is important that the fruit remains submerged at all times, and this can be done by placing a plate or saucer on top of the fruits in the Rumpot. Cover the top of the pot with cling film to prevent evaporation, and store in a cool place. When the next fruit is available, carry out the same procedure, except that from now on it is only necessary to use half as much sugar by weight as fruit. Use ripe, dry but firm fruit and never any that is overripe. Build the fruit up in layers, and do not stir as this will break up the fruit. Each time fruit is added it may be necessary to add more rum.

Continue to add fruits throughout the summer until your Rumpot is full. Suitable fruits to use include apricots, cherries, grapes, peaches, plums, strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants and loganberries.

Pineapple, with the rind and centre core removed, is best cubed and is usually the last fruit added.

It will be ready after 4-6 weeks, but at it's best after 2-3 months, which should be around Christmas.

I find it best to avoid watery fruits such as Melon, as they dilute the alcohol. Rhubarb can make the fruits bitter, as can blackberries, which can also discolor the rest of the fruits and spoil their appearance. The liquid from the Rumpot can be treated as a liqueur. The Rumpot fruit is delicious either poured over ice-cream or with a rich dark chocolate cake!

Rumtopf
A delicious treat of aged, rum-soaked fruit, in the German and Austrian tradition. You can also soak the fruit in bourbon, in the French tradition, or in your favorite brandy or other alcoholic beverage that is at least 80 Proof (40% alcohol by volume).

Use one or more, or all, of the fruit in the guide below. Traditionally, the process took months to prepare - as each type of fruit ripened and became seasonally available, it would be washed, dried, sugared, and placed in the Rum Pot.

Age the mixture in a cool place for at least three months to ferment properly. It will keep indefinitely as long as it is completely covered with the rum. Then enjoy over ice cream, yogurt, cake, waffles, etc., or by itself with a topping of cream.


Rumtopf (or Rumpot)

Ingredients:

Fresh, unblemished fruits, just ripe
Rum of good quality
Fine granulated sugar

Rum Pot or crock pot, washed and dried
Cellophane paper
A dish that will fit inside the pot

Fruit Preparation:

If they are being washed, they should be dry before being placed in the Rumtopf. You'll get the best results by placing fruit inside the Rumtopf in the following order.

Strawberries: Wash, remove the stems and halve large ones.

Cherries: Wash, remove stems, and use with or without the pits.

Raspberries and/or Blackberries: Sort carefully, but do not wash.

Red Currant Berries: Wash well and remove from stem with a fork.

Apricots and/or Peaches: Scald for 1 or 2 minutes, peel and pit, and cut in quarters.

Melons: Peel, remove seeds and cut in cubes.

Plums: Wash well, remove stems, cut in half, and use with or without skin or pits.

Pears: Peel, cut in 4 or 8 slices, simmer in mixture of sugar and water, then remove from mixture.

Grapes: Wash well and remove from stem.

Pineapples: Remove the rind and center core, and cut in cubes.

Procedure:

On each pound of fruit, evenly sprinkle 1/2 pound of fine sugar, let soak for at least one hour, then place in the Rumtopf.

Cover the fruit with rum, about 1" above the fruit.

As you add the next fruit, keep topping off with rum.

After the last fruit has been added, place a dish over it to keep the fruit fully immersed in the rum.

To avoid loss of aroma or the evaporation of the rum, place cellophane across the top, under the lid.

Keep the Rumtopf in a cool place for three months, which allows it to ferment. (Check it occasionally to make sure that there is sufficient rum to keep the mixture covered; add more rum when necessary.)

It will then be ready for you to enjoy.

If you replenish or top off fruit, be sure to add more rum to keep it immersed, and, for best taste, allow 3 more months (or at least 2 months) for fermentation before using.

Scoop of Hugs and Kisses

Laundry Scoop
Hugs and Kisses Candy
Clear or Colored Plastic Wrap
Ribbon

A simple gift idea! Fill the Laundry scoop with candy hugs and kisses. Cut a large piece of plastic wrap. Set the scoop in the middle of the plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over so the two ends meet at the scoop handle. Pull the plastic wrap tightly around the scoop and gather around the handle. Tie a ribbon around the handle to hold the plastic wrap in place.

Tie a note onto the scoop that says "A scoop of Hugs and Kisses for you".

Spoon Mix

2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoons baking cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons flavored non-dairy creamer


Place in a 3" square of plastic wrap, bring up corners to make a pouch. Tie a ribbon around it and and glue using coolmelt or glue dots ,to a small mini wooden spoon or heavy plastic spoon, with this tag.

"Sample this treat, its kind of sweet. To warm you up , it can't be beat. Add 8 ozs of hot water and sip it slow. Warm you up right down to your toes."

You may add raffia to the handle of spoon to make a bow. Or give with a mug.

Sugared Cranberries

Because of the contrast between the tart cranberries and sugary coating, the flavor of this snack pops in your mouth. The berries are steeped in hot sugar syrup to tame their tangy bite. When entertaining, serve these in place of nuts. For gift-giving, package in parchment-lined tins. Present with a small bottle of the reserved cranberry cooking syrup for the recipient to use as a cocktail mixer. If you can't find superfine sugar, make your own by processing granulated sugar in a food processor for a minute.

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar

Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

Note: The steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 118(0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); PROTEIN 0.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 2mg; SODIUM 0.0mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 0.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.4g

Ultimate Preserved Crystallized Ginger
This is, bar none, the best, crystallized (preserved) ginger I have ever tasted! It’s a bit time consuming to make �?but it will keep indefinitely. It makes a wonderful holiday or hostess gift, is a great cure for motion or morning sickness, and, in addition to simply being eaten out-of-hand, it can be used in baking, mixed into softened ice cream, added to stir-fried dishes or vegetables (it’s wonderful chopped over buttery glazed carrots). It’s terrific in various salads, can be stirred into sour cream for a fruit-dipping sauce �?even the cooking syrup is useful (see below). The recipe came from our listener, Andie (the one we’re planning to put on speed-dial). She tells us that the secret is in steaming the ginger, instead of par-boiling it. Steaming keeps the ginger tender and moist, while leaving the maximum flavor in the ginger (instead of in the par-boiling water). This recipe does not require any specific quantities of ingredients �?so make a small batch or a lifetime supply as you like �?but the proportions are all carefully noted, to easily adapt to the amount you choose to prepare.


Fresh ginger root (larger pieces are easier to peel)
Granulated Sugar
Water
7-Up (or similar citrus soda)
Equipment needed:
Steamer (can be any kind: stainless steel, Oriental-style bamboo, a colander, couscousier, or any other steaming contraption of your preference)
Crockpot (or a non-reactive cooking pot �?enamel, glass or stainless steel)
Two wire racks �?for draining and drying the sliced ginger pieces

Method:
In a mixing bowl large enough to hold the desired amount of ginger, mix a solution of 1/2 water and 1/2 7-Up (or other citrus soda). You will need enough liquid to immerse the ginger completely.

Break off any small buds from ginger root and reserve them for another use. Peel the large pieces of ginger with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, and drop the peeled pieces into the liquid solution.

Slice the peeled ginger pieces into 1/8-inch slices (or as close to that thickness as you can come) slicing the ginger crosswise or on a diagonal �?in the direction that will obtain the largest slices possible. Return the slices as you cut them to the liquid solution.

Drain the sliced ginger and arrange the slices in stacks. Lay several stacks on their sides in the bottom of the steamer basket (or whatever you’re using) until the entire bottom of the basket is covered with stacks resting on their edges. Repeat with a second layer, and a third, if desired. If there are a few unstacked slices left over, those may be laid flat over the top.

Place the steamer basket over simmering water, cover, and allow to steam for 30-40 minutes or until the ginger is quite tender. If older, larger or more fibrous ginger is used, ginger may require an additional 10-15 minutes of steaming time.

In the Crockpot (or other cooking pot, as described) make a light simple syrup: for each cup of sliced ginger, you will need 1 cup of water, and 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then add the sliced ginger. When the mixture again comes to a boil, reduce the heat to as low as possible, cover the pot, and allow to simmer gently for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. (NOTE: If the syrup evaporates to the point w2here it no longer completely covers the ginger slices, simply dissolve more sugar in water, in a small saucepan, to make another batch of simple syrup as described above, and pour over as needed to keep the ginger covered.)

Andie Says: If you are cooking this on top of the stove, and must leave during the process, simply turn off the heat, leave the pot, covered, at room temperature until you return, then bring mixture back to the boil, reduce heat, and continue simmering gently. The total cooking time will be what counts.

After 6 hours of cooking time, remove a couple of slices of ginger, allow them to drain and cool, then taste them. They should be very tender. If they are not, simply continue simmering and tasting �?process may require as much as 2 additional hours �?even longer if slices are thicker.

When ginger is tender, remove the pot from heat (or turn off the Crockpot) and allow to cool for 30-40 minutes. Slices should still be warm, but not hot enough to burn. Using a skimmer or tongs, remover the slices from the syrup and place them, without overlapping, on a wire rack (over a sheet pan or parchment or wax paper to catch drips). Allow the slices to dry until just “tacky”–they should be slightly tacky, but should not stick to a finger pressed onto a slice then lifted.

(Strain the syrup into a jar and save for use in cooking, drinks, fruit salads, etc.)

Place 1/2 cup, granulated sugar in a shallow, 1-quart container �?(such as a plastic Tupperware or Rubbermaid) with a fitted lid. Drop several slices of ginger into the container, cover and shake until the slices are very well coated with sugar. Then place the slices on a clean drying rack, and repeat with more slices, until all have been sugared �?adding more sugar to the container as needed.

Leave the sugared slices on the rack overnight, or as needed depending on humidity (if desired, or if weather is especially humid, a fan will speed up drying time). Test for doneness by squeezing 2 slices together; if they do not stick together, they are finished. Store preserved ginger in airtight containers with screw or snap tops, plastic or glass �?but do not use recloseable plastic bags. Ginger prepared and stored in this manner will deep indefinitely at room temperature.

If, for any reason, the ginger dries out over time, do not discard it: simply chop it finely and use in cooking or baking. You may even dry it further in a very low oven, and grind it to a powder in a coffee mill or spice grinder.

Vanilla Extract

2 vanilla beans �?cut in half, lengthwise and chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup, brandy (good quality, for best flavor)
1/4 cup, water

Combine ingredients in a half-pint glass jar (such as a Mason jar) and set aside in a cool dark place to steep for at least 3 days. Will keep up to one year, stored in a cool, dark place.

MAKES ABOUT 3/4 CUP

White Chocolate Pretzels

1 package long pretzel rods
1 package almond bark, or vanilla candy coating
Decorations, such as red and green sprinkles, holiday M&Ms or crushed up candy canes
Place the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure you do not get any water in the bowl; any water at all will cause the candy coating not to melt properly and separate. Microwave the candy coating for one minute, then stir and microwave an additional minute until it is completely melted and smooth.

Stick a pretzel rod into the chocolate, and with a spoon, cover about ¾ of the pretzel with chocolate. Let the excess drip back into the bowl. Sprinkle the chocolate with either red and green colored sprinkles, crushed up peppermints, or stick red and green M&Ms to the chocolate.

Place the decorated pretzel on a piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil and let it dry completely �?about one hour. Gently pull the pretzels off the paper.

Pretzel Bouquet
Lay about 10 white chocolate pretzels on a sheet of red or green tissue paper. Wrap the pretzels up like a bouquet of roses would be wrapped, and tie red, green and white curling ribbon around the middle to secure. With scissors, curl the ribbon, then tie on a small gift card.

Pretzels in a Glass
Find a tall glass, such as a parfait glass, or one of those neat glasses mixed drinks are served in. Pour some holiday candies, such as M&Ms or hard mints, in the bottom of the glass. Put as many pretzels as you can in the glass, sitting on the candies �?do leave a little room for them to move around so they don't break when they are pulled out.

Cover the top of the glass with a piece of colored plastic wrap, or you can cut a piece of holiday fabric and double the width of the top with pinking shears to cover. Tie a pretty ribbon around the glass to secure, and you have a neat gift for someone special!